“Just for precaution, sis,” Jace said close to me. “You know that.”
I exhaled again, and kept my gaze trained on Brax. The EMS guy jogged back to the mound and handed something to him. His arm lifted to his mouth. His throaty, raspy Southie voice came over the loud speaker.
“Gracie—you’re gonna have to find higher ground for me to see you, sweetheart,” he said. “I got this damn thing on my neck.”
Sweethaht. My heart leapt.
“Here,” Kyle said, and led me to the bleachers. “Go up a few.”
I did, and turned back to the mound.
“Better!” Brax said. “Can you see me?”
The crowd was dead silent and looking right at me. I waved to Brax so he knew I could see him.
“Gracie, I got something to tell you, and I’ve been wanting to tell ya for a long time, but now seems to be it. Crazy, huh?”
I stood frozen in place, waiting, breathless.
His voice boomed over the intercom once more. “I’m in love with you, Gracie Beaumont. Do you hear me? I love you!”
Tears filled my eyes as the entire stand of baseball fans cheered, and a content and full feeling nearly made my heart burst. I cupped my hands over my mouth and hollered back once the crowd quieted. “I love you, too!”
I couldn’t see his face clearly, but I saw his hands go to his face, heard his raspy laugh come through the speaker system. “Pardon my French, Ms. Beaumont, but can you get your ass down here?”
With the crowd cheering, my mom crying, and my brothers helping me along, one of the coaches opened the dugout door and I rushed through it. I ran all the way to the mound and stopped just at the foot of Brax’s stretcher. The grin on his face stretched from ear to ear, and he waved me closer. He lifted the mic to his mouth. “Come here, Sunshine.”
I did and, with the crowd on its feet, roaring, I leaned over Brax and our eyes fixed. “Say it again,” he said.
The crowd was so loud, I could barely hear myself speak. I leaned over the mic. “I said I love you, Brax Jenkins!”
“Woohoo!” he hollered into the mic. “Did you hear that? She loves me!”
And with the stands at a low roar, cheering and hollering, I kissed Brax. He kissed me, too. Until the EMS guy had to pull us apart. He, too, was grinning, though.
“Ride with me to the hospital?” Brax said, squeezing my hand.
“Absolutely,” I replied.
Cory had come to stand beside me, towering over me. Brax briefly looked at him. “Win the game, bro,” Brax said.
Cory grinned. “You know we will.”
And with a strength that made relief sweep over me again, Brax gripped my hand, threaded my fingers through his, and I walked alongside his stretcher to the ambulance. My mom, brothers, and Tessa were there, too.
Jace surprised me and leaned over Brax, said something quiet in his ear. When he rose, Jace winked at me, then looked at Brax. “Beastly pitching, man,” he said.
Brax grinned. “Thanks, bro.”
After they loaded Brax into the ambulance, I climbed in and perched beside him. The ambulance started to move, and I grasped his hand. “You scared me to death,” I said. “Don’t ever do that again.”
He couldn’t move his neck because of the brace and, as expressive as he was, I knew it bothered him to keep so still. He squeezed my fingers instead. “I’m in love with you,” he said again. “You’re forever, Sunshine.”
I looked at his unique face, both eyes already growing purple from the hit, and I realized how lucky he was. I was. We both were. My eyes scanned his tattooed forearms. His knuckles, and the letters inked into them. Goin Down.
I was goin down from the second I’d met him.
And I knew I’d found my forever, too.
“I’m in love with you, too, Braxton Jenkins.” Tears filled my eyes. “Forever won’t be nearly long enough.”
“Sweetheart,” he said, his eyes holding mine. “Forever is for fuckin’ sissies. Pardon my French, but let’s go for eternity, yeah?”
I grinned and squeezed his hand. Forevah. Pahdon. I’d made the right choice all right.
And sometimes, what seemed like the stupid choices turned out to be the only choices.